《Metamorphosis》 Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End It was a rather normal town, not too big, but not too small, and situated about an hour''s drive away from a major city. The greenery around the area, like most residential areas after the Toxic Scare of 2073, was quite well taken care of, with several full time gardeners employed to ensure that everything stayed healthy. The town had its share of crime, parades, and festivities, with normal students who loved playing pranks, sports, and video games. Even the weather seemed perfectly average, at 80 degrees and alternating between sunny and partly cloudy with only a light breeze. When added on to the fact that it was the last day of school, and that school had just ended, the day should have seemed perfect. Yet, here I was, dragging my feet along as my friends laughed and joked, enjoying the seemingly perfect day. We were headed towards our usual hangout. A stray cat mewled at me from an alleyway amid the bustling noise of all of the students heading back home. It was the first afternoon of summer vacation. Why shouldn''t they enjoy it? I sure should. Still, I followed along, adding my fair of jokes and even laughing along with them, all the while holding onto a perfectly flawless poker face of enjoyment. Something just didn''t feel right today. At first glance, there was nothing that really set me apart from the crowd. Sure, my grades were just below average at a measley 82, and it wasn''t like I was an introvert or loner. I had... friends, and was even on the school gymnastics team. Still, I knew there would always be this void. I couldn''t help but be unable to connect, feel different. I was different. "Tristan you sure you don''t wanna come? You might actually beat me this time, Tristan." My friends, Alex in particular, were trying to get him to tag along to their ping-pong marathon, probably so that I would pay for it all. Normally, I wouldn''t mind, but today something felt different. "Beat you?" I joked. "I''ll meet up with you guys next time." Alex was supposedly my best friend, and the one I talked to the most. He was also a jerk. "Before you go though, do you mind lending us some cash? I forgot to bring my wallet." My friends smirked at this. "Yea, sure. No problem." I received a weekly allowance of a hundred dollars so spotting my friends fifty or so was not a big deal, even if it was a weekly occurrence. I put on a strained smile and handed over the cash. "Thanks bud, I''ll see you later then." smiled Alex.. "WATCH OUT!" someone yelled. A van had run the red light just as my friends and I were about to cross the road. I quickly reached out to grab Alex, who was blissfully oblivious with his eyes closed, humming to the headphones he had just put back on. My fingertips brushed Alex''s shirt but were unable to find any purchase. I could only stare in horror as Alex took the last step that would consign him to oblivion. ''NO!'' I thought, and pulled with all of his might. My outstretched hand strained against an invisible force, and it was over in an instant. I trembled from exhaustion. Alex''s head snapped back like he was leashed. He opened his eyes and did a three-sixty. ''No...'' I groaned as I realized that I had done what I had sworn never again to do. "What the fu-" His words were cut short as the van rushed by. Time froze for the onlookers as it seemed Alex would still be clipped by the truck, and resumed as it only brushed his over-sized shirt. The air displacement still knocked Alex over into the rough asphalt. "Holy shit man, the dude didn''t even honk. Good thing one of you guys grabbed me." The rest of them exchanged glances as they helped him up. "No one grabbed you in ti-" "Yea good thing huh," I interrupted, staring at my watch. "It''s running late, but I''ll catch up with you guys later. Keep closing your eyes when you cross the road and you might really get it someday." I could not meet anyone''s eyes and gave a weak chuckle before dashing off. When I glanced back half a block later, one of my friends was pointing at me and the rest were giving me odd looks. I saw another of them mouth something that distinctly resembled the word "freak". I was a freak. ''I knew it,'' My face was downcast, and my pace quickly reverted to that of dragging my feet along. ''Maybe if I just explained it to them, showed them...'' I shook my head, realizing that it would do no good. I was glad that I had saved a life, but at what cost?. I had seen what would happen to those who were different. I had seen the videos. Everyone had seen the videos. After the Toxic Scare of 2073, with radiation leakage hitting half the world, there were several cases of abnormalities within the children of more severely affected women. Most of the children had died right away, but some grew up with additional features, like an extra limb, or another eye. These children were treated as freaks, but were still given the option of undergoing surgical procedures with little to no risk as a result of the advanced technological advancements of the age. In the end, they would still end up normal and conform to society. The other children though... the other children exhibited more unique symptoms. A child starred in several shows, and was given national acclaim for his ability to move things without touching them. The boy gained wealth and fame, even after many critics and conspiracy theorists claimed fraud. After a dozen more children had come out claiming to do the same however, the gift turned into a curse. Scientists became fascinated with the by-products of the Toxic Scare and several cases of subjects showing signs of violence after being bombarded and pestered by media and once-friends. These resulted in full scale riots and retaliation, injuring and maiming thousands, culminating in the deaths of many. The populace turned against them. The situation worsened as those who had shown others their powers in a show of trust or in hope of fame were persecuted by parents who feared for their children, and many were lynched until the rest went into hiding. In the end, they were branded as diseased and scientists were given the right to experiment on volunteers under the premise of finding a cure. This was decades ago. Who knew if any of them were left. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Even though it was several decades later, freaks all but forgotten, I had no doubt that it would end up the same way. My power wasn''t as strong as the cases I had read up on when I discovered what I could do. Unlike others who were said to have been able to lift trucks with ease, it had taken all of my strength just to pull Alex''s head from a few inches away. I tried moving an eraser before, but lifting it half a foot strained my body so much that moving afterwards was impossible. Normally then, since my ability was so limited, it should not have been a problem for me to keep from using it, as it had no practical use. The problem was though, that my ability felt like an extension of myself. I was always tempted use it when performing everyday tasks. It was like a third arm, and it felt unnatural not to. When I played ping-pong, I would feel the urge to pull the ball slightly toward my paddle; when I dropped a piece of paper, it would feel natural to try and pull it to my hand; even when he was performing gymnastics routines, I was tempted to try and correct my balance with it. Consequently, I had to make a conscious effort not to exert my ability as soon as I realized what it was after it manifested several years ago. I had succeeded too, until today. I found an old park bench several blocks away. It was in dire need of repair; large blotches of paint were weathered off, and the left side of it wobbled uncertainly. Still, it was a seat and I unceremoniously sat down on the rough wood, staring at my left hand. ''So much for friends huh.'' It was a depressing thought. It would be like what happened with my parents all over again. There was a reason I lived alone; after finding out about what I was in an accident, they moved out and strove to distance themselves from me. Essentially, they abandoned me, providing a house and cash only because it would besmirch their image if someone accused them of child neglect. Now it would be my friends. My hands shook at the thought. Its all over. Maybe they would understand. ''Maybe nothing will come out of it. Maybe it will all blow over.'' It was quite unlikely hope, but it was hope nonetheless. It was unreasonable, but I had always feared becoming ostracized by others. My own parents had come close to disowning me. I clung to this hope as if my life depended on it, and for all I knew, it did. People got violent when they did not understand. My friends would understand. I was different. We had known each other since elementary school, and Alex even longer. They would hate me. Alex would definitely understand. I was a freak. ************************************************************************************************************************** A pair of students I recognized from one of my classes walked into sight. They were deep into a conversation, sparing very little concern for their surroundings. "I told you you should have waited for me before starting Royal Road! Now we didn''t even start in the same city!" The conversation was very animated, with the girl making gestures and stabbing the air with her finger as if it would make the boy understand more quickly. "But-" The girl slapped the guy''s shoulder with a loud smack. "What level are you? Three? You might as well just start over and make a new character!" Despite my mood, I couldn''t help but be fascinated. ''Royal Road, virtual reality.'' It was a novel thought. It had just come out the day before, coinciding with the end of the school year probably so that Unicorn Co. would be able to up their sales. It was the newest fad, with state of the art technology that made virtual reality a possibility. In fact, with 99% realism, it could virtually be deemed a second life. I watched the couple pass beyond sight before murmuring two words. "Royal Road". A second life. ====================================================================================== Dialog is denoted by double quotes " " Thoughts by a character are denoted by single quotes '' '' ====================================================================================== Authors Note: **The bolded italicized words are supposed to be using strike through. However when I try and use it, it does this and does a newline before and after the words... :[ Still working on the chapters and flow. It was originally supposed to be third person but I thought first person worked better. Feel free to leave any comments and feedback. By the way, does anyone know how to tab paragraphs and such? Suggestions and feedback Hi, its my first time writing, and it would be great if you guys could give me suggestions, feedback, and/or corrections. Much appreciated :] Chapter 2: A Second Life -Connect to Royal Road?- -Yes || No- "Yes..." I sighed. ''Maybe this wasn''t such a good idea,'' I thought. ''It might not have been worth the cost.'' My parents had gotten him the capsule and a year''s subscription just so that they could get their "freak" out of their face. Despite their attitude towards me, I still felt guilty. After all, $13,600 was no small amount of money, even if my parents considered it chump money. -The scan on your iris and vein has determined that you are an unregistered user. Do you want to create a new account?- It had been too great of a temptation, especially after what had happened during the past week. My former friends had called me several times asking what had happened. Each voicemail became more and more scathing as they grew sure that they were right. Even my best friend Alex joined in, though it had been his life that I had saved. The threats grew and someone even threatened to call the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Like my powers were a condition that could be cured. My parents took measures to assure everyone that their son was healthy and perfectly normal only when the media got involved. Thankfully though, the street camera that had recorded the whole thing was at an angle in which it was impossible to tell whether or not I had managed to grab Alex or not. Ultimately, I ended ended up locked up in the house for the entire summer in hopes everyone would forget. In the words of my mother, "You must live up to your duty and make sure that you do not dishonor nor compromise the family business." My father never even bothered to speak to me. During that week, something in me snapped. Would it not be better to just leave this world altogether? There was nothing left here for me, and nothing of mefor the world. I had nothing. I was a freak. ''No, its not me. It was never me. Its everyone else.'' ''Why live in this world,'' I contemplated, ''when technology can provide an entire other world for me?'' It would be a new world, a second life. Everyone who started there would be equal, and no one would be different. I would be alone. Best of all, there would be no one, no one at all, who would know him. After all, the chances that I would bump into someone I knew, out of the hundred million of players that had already signed up for the game within the first two weeks of its release, were slim to none. My eyes opened the moment I felt the connection, but nothing changed. It was still pitch black - far less lit than it would have been under a moonless, starless sky. I turned my head seeking out the light, but it was dark all around. It was as if a black hole had swallowed him whole. My eyelids fluttered as I blinked several times to make sure that I was actually awake; I pinched myself for good measure. ''Is this what hell is like?'' I thought. "Maybe something went wrong in the connection and I died." It was eerily silent, with not a breeze, a chirp, nor even the constant hum of electricity. More than the darkness, was the sound of silence. It was, oddly enough, calming. -Select the name of your avatar- A feminine voice breached the silence, and my face glowed when I realized that this was the activation process. "Trystero." An obscure reference to a centuries old post-modern novel. The name had always stuck with me. -Select your gender from Male, Female, or Neutral- ''Neutral?'' A small chuckle escaped at the thought. ''As intriguing as it sounds, I came here to be me. But would neutral have none, or both?'' "Male." -Royal Road has 49 different races. You may choose from the 29 primary races available.- "Can you list the primary races?" I asked. I had played several MMORPGs before, but was not sure if the races remained roughly the same; There wasn''t any chance to do research about the game with all that had happened. -The primary races include: Human, Dwarf, Elf, Half-Elf, Barbarian,- "Elf." ''I never really felt I fit in with humans after all,'' I mused. -You may adjust the appearance of your avatar in anyway you like.- "Make my eyes glow red during battle." I had been an avid fan of animes up until three years ago, when I came into my powers. Then, many of the series aired hit a bit too close to home. Before then though, it was fascinating when the hero''s eyes changed during the heat of battle, giving him some sort of power-up. -This is an unusual request. Let me talk to the system administrators- -Your request will be approved, but you may not make any other changes to your appearance. Is this fine?- "Yes." It was fine. There was no point in changing how I looked. I didn''t want to play in someone else''s body. I wanted what I did to be my own. -Your account has been activated. Your stats and class shall be determined while you are playing Royal Road-. Select a city and kingdom to start out in.- "Citadel of Serabourg, Rosenhiem Kingdom." It was the place the couple had been talking about. -Welcome to Royal Road- "Well, here we go." -Royal Road is the first VRMMORPG featuring several- - ''Oh god, not a tutorial.'' At the time, I was quite ignorant of the fact that it was possible to skip Royal Road''s tutorial... ********************************************************************************** There was a bright flash of white. My eyes opened to a bustling city. The world around me was so realistic that I could only stop and stare. Finally, I had arrived. I actually sat through the whole thing, surprising even the AI who confided that I was only the 58th to do so. Not surprising when one finds out that while the tutorial only briefly covered each topic, it covered everything beginners needed to know and was five hours long. Most players researched the game ahead of time. "Amazing," I breathed. Whatever it was that I had expected, it definetly was not this. The sounds, the sight, and even the smells were beyond realistic. My nose cringed at a pile of dog shit on the sidewalk. ''I suppose realism isn''t always a good thing huh.'' Even with the game only open for two weeks, the demand for it was incessant. There were already more people in the city than in my town. Truth be told, it was much more diverse as well, by Royal Road''s standards. Across the street, there were several tell-tale pointed ears that defined elves, the oddly graceful humans that he presumed to be the half-elves, and even three hulking giants about seven feet tall that could only be a party of barbarians. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. My hands flexed several times and I was glad to see them curl and unfurl as they did in real life. ''Amazing. When they said 99% realism, they meant it.'' Royal Road did not skimp out on details. A scar I had gotten from a failed dismount during a tumbling routine at an inter-high competition could be seen clearly on the palm of my hands. I tried doing several jumping jacks and was satisfied feeling the thump of the earth beneath his feet. I decided to do a few more. After about three hundred of them however,my lungs were wheezing so hard that I collapsed on the ground. I was barely able to drag myself upright into sitting position. A white flashing bar in the upper left-hand of his vision caught my attention. It had been a full yellow earlier and was the only thing that I could see had changed. "I guess," I wheezed to myself, "that it makes sense for my stamina to be realistic as well." I slowly crawled up to my knees in a slow battle of mind over matter. "Hey, watch it punk! Get out of the way ya noob!" A giant, while smaller than the barbarians, hulk of a man, ran past, well more through me. He flung me close to eight feet into the air, and I plummeted towards the ground. Bystanders winced, expecting my inevitable date with the concrete floor. Luckily, my gymnastic reflexes kicked in quickly and I was able to throw out my arms and legs to stabilize, before curling into a ball and rolling on the ground to soften my fall. ''Thank god they brought everything over,'' I thought after the rolling finally stopped. -System notice: You have taken 65 damage [-65 hp] - "Whaaaaaat?!" I shouted in panic. The man had done a ridiculous amount of damage even if he was probably about fifty levels higher. "View Character Stats." I had overheard another player saying this and assumed that he wasn''t just babbling nonsense.
Status Window
NameTrysteroPrimary ClassN/A
Health15/80Mana110/110
Level1
Health Regen/Sec.2Mana Regen/Sec.4
Strength8Agility12
Wisdom11Intelligence11
Stamina10/10Luck0
Attack3
Defense0
AlignmentNeutral
Magic Resistance
Fire0%Water0%
Earth0%Air0%
Black Magic0%
A groan escaped my lips. The first thing I saw upon opening the Stats window were my hit points. "Down to less than 20% of my maximum hp within the first ten minutes of the game." Shock quickly gave way to fury as I realized how close I would have been to dying had I been without prior training. "I refuse to fuck''n die in this world within the first hour!" The thought that I might have been forced out of this world for twenty four whole hours, as was the death penalty in-game, fueled my rage and veins began to appear in his outstretched arm. I spotted the man almost a block away and clenched his hand furiously. It hit me that what I was about to do something really stupid, but it was too late. The man''s foot lagged slightly from the resulting force of the pull and he tripped. The man got up and glared around, trying to silence the laughing pedestrians. ''Ten minutes into the game, and its over.'' I couldn''t believe that I did it again, twice in the same day. This time it was not even for saving someone''s life, or even anything as important as helping someone; I had lost control in a fit of rage for revenge. "Nice one there mate." A guy who had seen the whole thing clapped my back before walking away. I was in a state of disbelief. ''What just happened,'' I thought dumbfounded. ''Unless... unless....'' My face mirrored my dawning comprehension as I stared around at the city. ''This world is a game. Of course they would assume it was some in-game skill I had picked up somewhere. The only things indicating that I''m a beginner are my clothes, and whose to say I''m not some stingy high-level player or in disguise.'' An transparent screen popped up in front of him.
New Skill: The Force [Beginner Level 1 - 00.00%] A mysterious force shrouds your presence. As you become more in tune with it, you will be able to direct it to some degree. You can direct a limited amount of matter. Increases with level. Mana consumption: 10 mp/sec Increases Agility (+10% AGI) Increases Strength (+10% STR) Increases Attack (+5% ATK) Increases Defence (+5% DEF)
''A whole new world, where I can just be.... me.'' My laughter drew the attention of everyone around me, but I just didn''t care. ====================================================================================== Dialog is denoted by double quotes " " Thoughts by a character are denoted by single quotes '' '' Chapter 3: Will My shirt and pants were drenched in sweat even though the training hall was well ventilated. A shift in the air above me was the only warning I got before a sword ripped through the air. -You have taken 1 damage [-1 hp]- I had long lost count of how many times I was knocked down to the floor. If not for the wooden aspect of the training sword, it was certain that I would have experienced my first death already. Ironically enough, the only thing that I took damage from anymore was from falling. Taking so many hits had allowed me to gain a new stat, endurance.
New Stat: Endurance Reduces physical damage inflicted by the enemy. Increases the user''s life by a small amount.
The fact that I was so weak came in quite handy, as the man who was matching my strength could only inflict minimal damage. Still, over four hours of continuous beatings had taken its toll. I only had seven hit points remaining, even with the extra health generated by endurance. At this rate, I might actually die. "Into position! This is no time for you to be slacking" I could only groan as I rose to my feet in response. The wooden sword was a block of lead in my arms. It was a wooden bastard sword, and as such, could be weld with either one or both hands. I had been using his right as the primary hand, but with the amount of fatigue it had accumulated, there was no chance in hell of continuing to use it. I had to continue. I wanted, no, needed to become stronger. My eyes were once more flooded by a blood-red hue as I switched the sword to my left and assumed the stance. It was better to use an unaccustomed hand than one that could not move at all. "Left hand? Interesting, Trystero." There was no chance for me to reply; the man charged immediately after. Again, the movement was almost too fast to see. Too fast to see, but not to feel. With a fresher arm supporting the sword, I was able to parry the thrust aimed at my stomach with a clumsy but successful overhand slash. My left arm was too slow in following it up with a riposte. By the time I began the motion, the man''s sword had already lashed out, bruising my wrist and disarming him. I desperately dove for my sword. Before I could grab it, or even try pulling it towards me, he kicked in midair back into standing position. -Your Strength has increased by 1. [+1 STR] - -Your Stamina has increased by 1. [+1 STA] - -Your Agility has increased by 1. [+1 AGI] - "Instead of going directly for your weapon, you should create an opportunity for you to retrieve it. Now pick it up and let us begin again." It was approaching light. ''Just thirty... more minutes,'' I thought, ''One more-'' A thrust, followed by a slash at his wrist and an overhead slash. The man was only using the same three attacks, albeit not in the same order, over and over again. It was a thing of beauty with no excess movement or energy. Even with my special eyes, I could not tell when an attack was coming. Though we had been sparring for hours, I could still barely see it as it came. ''Bastard just keeps toying with me.'' The man rapped my head five times before knocking me down. "Umph!" I couldn''t help but grunt as I fell. ''Shit, make that six.'' ''I cant believe I actually chose this path myself.'' I regretted it. I could not believe that I was following this through. I just didn''t understand why. ''It must have been then,'' I reminisced. *************************************************************************** A rock shot through the air only to bounce off of a tree. It took me a while, but I finally managed to find a small clearing secluded enough that I was sure no one would bother me. The fact that new players were not allowed to leave the city for a period of four weeks in-game was bugging, but I supposed it was reasonable looking at how much damage I had taken several minutes into the game. My explorations earlier were quite successful. The city was full of maps, and even built in a rather logical fashion. It also came as a pleasant surprise that I was able to improve my stats, in this case stamina, by just getting tired over and over again. The tedious task of familiarizing myself with the main roads and buildings, which took, by the way, the better part of my first two days here, became slightly more bearable as a result. Something bothered me though. ''How is it fair that the players would ultimately decide the fate of this world, when the NPCs live here as well?'' The idea of it broke my concentration and the new rock I had been levitating fell to the ground. It just seemed... wrong somehow. This was essentially a new, better world for me to live in, but NPCs were here first, and they were fully capable of thought, emotion, and reason; They were human in every aspect except the fact that they existed only in this game and were forced to follow certain core pre-directives. They were indistinguishable from players unless one took the time to talk and get to know them. The rock floated up a second time, following the trajectory of my outstretched hand. ''Well, theres no point in thinking about things I can''t change,'' I mused. Though I said this, the thought lingered. Royal Road was undeniably a world that emphasized the survival of the fittest. While NPCs currently held the highest levels and strongest positions of power, it was only due to the fact that the game had just recently come out; it would not be long until players took over. In the end, because Royal Road was ultimately a game for real life consumers, players had greater access to quests and equipment that made leveling infinitely easier than for NPCs. The sight of a rabbit in the clearing brought me out of these thoughts. It was the scene I was forced to behold while exploring the city. Beyond the city gates, I saw countless players slaughtering cute, innocent rabbits. The sight stirred feelings of fear, despair, and inexplicably rage. For some reason, it felt that as if I would share the fate of the rabbits if I did not become stronger. I was a failure. After all, the rabbits were completely innocent animals. They, who had done nothing to incur the wrath of the players and posed no threat whatsoever, were hunted down just because they were easy pickings. In the real world, I could not control who and what I was or anyone around me, but in this one, it would be different. I vowed that it would change. I needed not only survive, but to excel. With no one else, this world was all i had left. With that in mind, I returned to the project at hand. The rock spiraled upwards, accelerating about three feet before slowing down and finally dropping down once more. ''It seems that there are more intricate details and conditions to my powe- this skill, than are described in the skill pane.'' If I remembered correctly, all the skill actually mentioned was the mana cost, and even that didn''t seem consistent. "View Character Skills."
New Skill: The Force [Beginner Level 3 - 42.08%] A mysterious force shrouds your presence. As you become more in tune with it, you will be able to direct it to some degree. You can direct a limited amount of matter. Increases with level. Mana consumption: 10 mp/sec Increases Agility (+10% AGI) Increases Strength (+10% STR) Increases Attack (+5% ATK) Increases Defence (+5% DEF)
I found, by trial and error, that the skill had been limited to roughly ten pounds at first, draining all of my mana in one second; the weight limit increased each time of course, as I leveled the skill. However, this only applied to any matter within a one yard radius of my position. Anything further and the rules changed. It seemed to mimic the way my powers worked in real life. The further something was, the more energy and concentration it took for Tristan to move it. As it was, my experimentation was not going well. ''To think that it would be so weak...'' I shook his head in disappointment. I had been giddy with joy at first; it was the first time I was finally able to exercise my abilities without worry or restraint. However, it just wasn''t effective enough for this world. Since it drained pretty much all of my mana within a few seconds, it did not really have any practical uses yet. It did not help that my mana regeneration was pathetic. ''If I want to survive in this world long enough for me to call it my own, I''ll need to pick up a few life skills and learn to defend myself.'' Like most teenagers my age, I had very little life skills; I could not mend my clothes, do any first aid beyond disinfecting wounds and using bandages, or construct my own tools. I could, however from a sick twist of life, cook relatively well since my parents never wanted anything to do with me. Given a few different kinds of vegetables, I could throw together some veggie stir-fry, and given some meat on top of that I could make a mean chop-suey. I was also well versed with the lesser known meats and vegetables like frog, venison, durian, and bittermelons due to a certain someone''s fondness for exotic dishes. ''It''ll definitely take too long for me to train up my force skill to a sustainable level, and even longer if I want to even think about using it in combat.'' The image of the man flinging him into the air was still bloody fresh in his mind, and I did not want a repeat. Ever. I remembered the tutorial mentioning how each city came equipped with a training hall that had a basic training program, which upon completion made the player eligible for the beginner training program. The tutorial had also mentioned how it was not popular, but I dismissed this as rubbish. Why would anyone give up a free training program? Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "Well," I said aloud in a decided tone. "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." ******************************************************************************* The training hall was enormous. It held close to a thousand scarecrows in grid formation. On the walls were countless wooden swords of varying models. I spotted a handful of claymores, rapiers, foils, bastard swords, and of course, short swords. I could not identify any others. It was also empty. Though it was past midnight, I still expected there to still be people since time for players in real life flowed differently. The instructor had presumably retired for the night, and the only noise in the room came from my footsteps. Oddly enough, there was no echo. After examining the available swords on display, I settled on a bastard sword. It was not because the sword that offered superior flexibility by being able to be weld one or two-handedly; I chose it then because I thought it looked cool. While all of the swords in the training hall were wooden, they were painted with different designs, and this one was... cooler. I assumed what I thought to be a proper two-handed stance and attempted a swing at the nearest scarecrow. My arms reverberated with the impact. I got ready to swing again but jumped when someone spoke up behind me. "Are you trying to play baseball, or swing that sword?" I looked at my stance in embarrassment. "You should put down the sword. Its an embarrassment." He was wearing a completely white outfit, even his shoes were white. I could only marvel at the fact that I had missed the man when I walked in. The stranger was several inches taller than Tristan and moved with a predatory grace. He was lean and his sleeveless shirt exposed his chiseled muscles. More than that though, were his eyes. They seemed bottomless, full of wisdom and experience, and seemed to look straight through me to hismy very core. He turned and began walking toward the exit. "Wai- Wait! My name is Trystero. Would it be possible for you to teach me how to use this sword." At this, the man turned with a small chuckle. "You thought that swords were swung like a club." "Exactly, which is why I beg of you to teach me." He was embarrassed that what the man had said was true. it seemed impossible for him to learn how to wield a sword on his own. "Come back at dawn. The instructor should be back by then. Other than that though, you should probably find another weapon that might suit you better." The man turned again to leave. I was crushed. Even though I did not know the guy, the man was the first person I actually spoke to in Royal Road. And he was leaving. The man would give me a chance. He didn''t understand. Maybe they forgave me. Nothing had changed. Everything had changed. I would never belong. This was a different world. I wanted to learn the sword, but didn''t have the talent. I never did. Hard work makes up for talent. I wondered why I even bothered starting the game. I could get better. It would get better. ''No,'' I thought. It would be different. I had thought it would be different. O would make it different, even if it cost me my very soul. I raised the sword in my odd baseball stance as my eyes shifted red. The sight of the man walking in front of me seemed to slow, and I charged.
New Skill: Death''s Eye [Beginner Level 1 - 00.00%] When a warrior is in the midst of a battle determining life and death, it is said that time slows for them. It is said that when one is about to die, their entire life will flash before their eyes. This skill activates automatically in combat. This skill cannot be activated outside of combat. Time slow: 5% Increases Luck (+10 LUK) Increases Luck (+10% LUK) Increases Black Magic Resistance (+10% BMR) Note: This skill only increases the speed at which the player can process information by sight. It does not actually slow time in any way.
"NO!" I didn''t bat an eyelid at the translucent screen and swung my sword at the back of the stranger''s head with all of my might. He vanished. He reappeared an instant later with a wooden bastard sword in his hand, the same as mine. "Interesting," said the man, noting Tristan''s dark red eyes. "Let us play a game then. I will only use three types of attacks and the same amount of power you displayed. All you have to do is survive until dawn."
Stranger Danger It is unknown why he has taken enough interest in you to offer you a chance. It is however, a shining ray of hope for you who wish to learn swordsmanship. Difficulty Level: D Quest Requirements: Failed if you are unable to get up or are killed. Cannot be denied. Quest Reward: Surviving until dawn will greatly improve relations with the stranger.
*************************************************************************************** And here we are. ''Just a one more minute and I make it.'' My hp was down to one. It was a race against time. The sky outside had begun to brighten, but the rays of light had yet to breach the vicinity of the hall. ''If I could just ward off the attacks.'' I stepped back and lifted my sword with both hands and braced for the impact overhead. I almost slipped on my own sweat I had left from falling so much, but regained my footing in time to parry another thrust. ''I can''t do it.'' My arms were too slow to react to the next thrust and could only twist his body in hopes of dodging. My shirt earned another nick. ''I''m gonna die.'' "Time to die, Trystero~" The stranger cheered in a singsong voice. The mocking grin on his face infuriated me and I lifted my sword for one last attempt. I would succeed, or I would die trying. The final thrust was aimed for my neck. I could only stare in grim defeat as my leaden arms refused to budge for one, last, final parry. Though futile, I refused to run and closed my eyes, remaining still as a statue. The sword was mere millimeters from my throat when the first rays of dawn arrived through the doors. They shone on Tristan''s face, illuminating my serene expression. Of course, I only found out about all of this later.
Quest Complete! Stranger Danger Your desperation and persistence in the face of one-sidedly overwhelming odds has reached the heart of the stranger. Reward: Relationship with the stranger changed from "Annoying" to "Neutral"
"Okay kid, you passed this time. If you''re still interested, come back here again at midnight."
Midnight Boot Camp The stranger has opted to give you a chance. Show up at midnight to begin your training. Difficulty Level: D Quest Requirements: Must complete ''Stranger Danger''. Cannot be denied. Failure upon not showing up, giving up or dying. Quest Penalty: Access to the training hall will be denied at night. All stats and skills will be reverted to the state it was before = training began. Quest Reward: Unknown
I never moved. The sword stayed up in the air and my body stood frozen in time. The people who came into the training hall looked oddly at me, but said nothing, surmising I was doing some sort of training. Nothing could have been further from the truth. "The fucker actually passed out!" The stranger gave a laugh and left into the rising sun. -System Notice-
New Stat: Sustenance You are less likely to use stamina in action. You are prohibited from distributing stat bonus points to this stat.
New Stat: Fighting Spirit You can call on superhuman strength temporarily, or bring weaker monsters to their knees with a force in your eyes alone. You are prohibited from distributing stat bonus points to this stat, and it rises spontaneously, depending on the avatar¡¯s action, especially if you fight monsters for a long time, or often confront monsters stronger than your current level.
==================================================================================== *Chop-suey means "(with) mixed vegetables" and is a suffix for a certain asian meat and veggie dish Dialog is denoted by double quotes " " Thoughts by a character are denoted by single quotes '' '' ==================================================================================== Authors notes: Again, I would really like to replace the bolded italics with strikethroughs but the formatting is iffy.